Faux leather/shearling and Simplicity 4356 - A Perfect Match

I've wanted a faux leather/shearling coat for over two years. I thought about making Vogue 1198, but that wasn't quite the look I was thinking when I first envisioned a faux leather/shearling as part of my winter arsenal. So I started researching online stores and found a few that I liked at Nordstorm. Once I found the inspiration coat, purchasing the fabric was easy. Vogue (Roosevelt Rd.) has a large section of faux suede and faux leather shearling many colors. I went with this rugged texture.

I didn't necessarily want to replicate the Nordstorm coat, but to find a silhouette that match the pattern I was thinking about using hoping the design would be a good match for the fabric.

This morning I woke up to snow which I could do without for another twelve months.  The blizzard of 2011 was enough to last me a lonnnngg time.

Simplicity 4356

There is not a lot of descriptive information on the pattern envelope.  But I described this view as a shawl collar princess seam coat with patch pocket and cuffs.  It comes in sizes 6 - 22. This pattern has been around for a while. I used it to make view C for my sister in 2006.

My coat has the basic silhouette of View A, but I made many changes to create the look I was going for. Most of the instruction were skipped because of way I wanted to use the fabric. But the basic construction method were the same as described in the sewing directions. This pattern is good basic shawl collar jacket/coat pattern. It's a keeper. I didn't have any dislike for it.

My changes were many -

• I omitted the front facing and the use of the block for binding.
• The pocket were finished by turning the shearling to the right side of it; then stitched.  Next, I attached the pocket to the coat with the raw edges exposed.
• To finish the center back of the collar, I following the same instructions for the cuff on the sleeve (#11 and #12).
• I made a FBA and prominent shoulder blade adjustment.  The fabric has almost zero give.  So I cut the coat one size bigger to make sure I had enough wearing ease.
• I eliminated most of the ease of the sleeve cap because of the bulky,stiff fabric.
• None of the raw edges were finished.  
• Added about an inch to the center front; made buttonholes.
• I lengthen the coat about two inches.

I can't say that I will or will not sew the coat again.  I do like the purse and may make it using the leftover fabric from this project.  This pattern is versatile and can be used as the basis for designing your own coat or jacket.  I recommend it to other sewists.  It not a difficult coat to sew.  And the instructions for adding the binding are not hard. 

More pictures can be found here on Flickr.

This is a fairly easy pattern to sew that will produce good result.  I love my new coat and I will get a lot of use out of it.   I'm wearing a Butterick top made years before I started blogging and Simplicity pants 2860 made October 2008